Dichoptera Spinola, 1839

Lin, You-Sheng, Liao, Jhih-Rong, Shiao, Shiuh-Feng & Ko, Chiun-Cheng, 2023, Lanternflies (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) of Taiwan., Zoological Studies (Zool. Stud.) 62 (7), pp. 1-37 : 3-4

Genus Dichoptera Spinola, 1839 Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915 ( Figs. 1 , 2 , 3 )

Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915: 130 ; Kato, 1933: pl. 3, fig. 6.

Type locality: Kosempo [= Jiasian, Kaohsiung, Taiwan] ( Schumacher 1915).

Description: Measurements: body length, male (n = 8) 27.1 mm (24.4–29.8 mm), female (n = 5) 30.2 mm (25.9–33 mm); tegmen length, male (n = 8) 22.5 mm (19.8–24.3 mm), female (n = 5) 25.1 mm (22.6–27.6 mm).

Head: general color yellowish brown to pale green ( Fig. 1A, B, C ); cephalic process short, protruding upward, with 1 black longitudinal band on dorsal side and each lateral side ( Fig. 1A, C ); vertex as long as broad, with 1 black hollow-arrowheaded marking on disc, disconnected at each lateral side, lateral margins strongly carinate ( Fig. 1A, C ); frons longer than broad, with 3 longitudinal carinae extending from ventral side of cephalic process, stongly protruding ( Fig. 1B ); genae with 1 black transverse band passing through eye, connected with lateral band extending from cephalic process ( Fig. 1C ); occiput with 2 black spots along each postocular flange ( Fig. 1A ); antennae brown ( Fig. 1C ); clypeus longer than frons ( Fig. 1B ); labium elongate, not reaching apex of abdomen, terminal of each segment dark brown ( Fig. 1B ).

Thorax: ( Fig. 1A, C ) general color yellowish brown to pale green; pronotum with 1 black marking like reverse “V” on anterior angle, 1 dark brown marking like reverse parentheses on disc, and 1 dark brown reticulated marking on each lateral area; mesonotum with 1 pair of black semicircular patch between 1 pair of black reverse-subtriangular patch along anterior margin, 1 black marking like Greek letter “Ω” between lateral carinae, surrounding 1 pair of brown semioval patch connected with 1 pair of brown obtuse-triangular patch posteriorly, and 1 black marking like arrowhead bending outward on each lateral area outside lateral carinae.

Tegmina: ( Fig. 1A ) general color hyaline, divided into basal area and apical area by a distinct serrate nodal line with venation of apical area reticulate; basal area with several brown patches along anterior margin, 1 weak brown spot in front of disc, 1 dark brown spot connected with 1 weak brown spot anteriorly behind disc; apical area with 1 yellowish brown to pale green pterostigma, 1 gradient brown band along nodal line, 1 big dark brown hollow-subtriangular marking along end of anterior margin, and several weak brown spot along apical margin.

Hindwings: ( Fig. 1A ) general color hyaline, apical angle dark brown, anal area without cross-veins.

Legs: ( Fig. 1A, B ) general color yellowish brown to pale green; femora with several brown irregular patches; fore- and mesotibiae with 1 dark brown ring on apex and middle; metatibiae with 7 lateral spines; 3rd fore- and mesotarsomeres dark brown.

Abdomen: general color reddish brown to yellowish brown ( Fig. 1A, B ); 1st, 7th and 8th tergites black, 2nd–6th tergites with 1 pair of big black suboval patch on disc of each tergite ( Fig. 1A ); laterosternites sometimes with black spots ( Fig. 1B ); 5th and 6th sternites with 1 black transverse band along both ends of anterior margin, 7th sternite black anteriorly, 8th sternite black ( Fig. 1B ).

Male genitalia: 9th abdominal segment, in lateral view, with anterior margin concave, dorso-anterior margin acute and strongly protrudent, dorso-posterior margin angulate, ventro-posterior margin slightly protrudent ( Fig. 2A ); 10th abdominal segment with ventral margin strongly concave at 4/5 from apex in lateral view ( Fig. 2A ), apical margin nearly as broad as basal margin, strongly concave as “U” shape dorsally but weakly concave ventrally in dorsal view ( Fig. 2B ); 11th abdominal sternite about 3 times longer than 11th abdominal tergite ( Fig. 2B ); genital styles shorter than 10th abdominal segment in lateral view ( Fig. 2A ), subtrapezoid with a hook on each lateral margin at 2/3 from base in ventral view ( Fig. 2C ); ventral pair of lateral phallobasal lobes sclerotized, dorsal pair of lateral phallobasal lobes membranous ( Fig. 2D, E ); phallobasal conjunctival processes exposed, with middle sinuate, apexes and basal 2/3 sclerotized, about 6 times longer than sheath, apexes acute ( Fig. 2D, E ).

Materials examined: Syntype: male of Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915 (examined from photographs, Fig. 3A, B ) [Kosempo, Formosa, H. Sauter, VII. 1911] [ Dichoptera similis Schum., F. Schumacher det.] [Syntypus] ( SDEI); female of Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915 (examined from photographs, Fig. 3C, D ) [Kosempo, Formosa, H. Sauter, VII. 1911] [ Dichoptera similis Schum., F. Schumacher det.] [Syntypus] ( SDEI); male of Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915 (examined from photographs, Fig. 3E, F ) [Kosempo, Formosa, H. Sauter, 1911] [7. VII.] [ Dichoptera similis Schmidt ] [Schumacher det.] [Syntypus] [Dtsch. Entomol. Institut Berlin] ( SDEI).

Other materials: 1 male, Huisun Experimental Forest Station, Nantou, IV-28-1991, leg. N. T. Keng ( NCHU); 1 male, same locality, VIII-25-2020, leg. J. A. Liao ( NMNS); 1 male, Lanren River, Pingdong, IX-15- 2011, leg. Y. C. Lan & Y. H. Peng ( NMNS); 1 female, Provincial Rd. No. 20 (166.5 km), Haituan, Taitung, VI-18-2005, leg. J. H. Chen ( NMNS); 1 female, Shanping, Liouguei, Kaoshiung, V-25-2002, leg. C. W. Chen ( NMNS); 1male, 1 female, Yima Forest-Road, Taitung, XII-16-2020, leg. L. C. Shih ( NMNS); 1 female, Dahan Shan (19km), Pingtung, VII-05-2015, leg. B. H. Ho ( NTU); 1 male, Fusan Botanical Garden, Ilan, V-08- 2021, leg. Y. H. Lin ( NTU); 1 male, same locality, V-08- 2004, leg. C. F. Lee ( NTU); 1 male, same locality, V-08- 2003, leg. S. S. Lu ( TFRI); 1 female, same locality, IV-27-1995, leg. J. J. Hsiao ( TFRI); 1 male, Nanzixianxi, Chiayi, X-16-2007, leg. W. C. Yeh ( TFRI); 1 female, same locality, IX-01-2008, leg. Y. M. Chen ( TFRI); 1 male, Taimali, Taitung, V-21-2009, leg. Y. M. Lai ( TFRI); 1 male, same locality, VI-06-2013, leg. Y. C. Lin ( TFRI); 1 male, same locality, VII-11-2013, leg. Y. C. Lin ( TFRI).

Host plant: unknown.

Distribution: Taiwan.

Remarks: This species was once classified under the family Dictyopharidae by Metcalf (1946) and has complex characters including body size as Fulgoridae , male genitalia as Dictyopharidae and venation as some species of Tropiduchidae , suggesting that the taxonomic status of this species and related species requires further confirmation.

Figures

Fig. 1. Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915, adult female. A, Habitus, dorsal view. B, Habitus, ventral view. C, Habitus, left lateral view (not to scale).

Fig. 2. Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915, male genitalia. A, Male genitalia, left lateral view. B, 10th–11th abdominal segments, dorsal view. C, Genital styles, ventral view. D, Phallic complex, ventral view. E, Phallic complex, dorsal view.

Fig. 3. Dichoptera similis Schumacher, 1915, type specimens. A, Syntype. B, Labels. C, Syntype. D, Labels. E, Syntype. F, Labels. (SDEI, photographs from the program “Digitization of Historic Museum Collections of Taiwan Deposited in Foreign Countries” by NMNS).